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Exercise & Fitness Archive
Articles
Working out while angry? Just don’t do it
Anger or emotional upset may double the risk of having a heart attack. Heavy physical exertion appears to have the same effect. And people who do intense exercise while they’re upset or mad may face three times the risk of heart attack.
Weight training may boost brain power
Weight training improved mental performance in a study of 100 men and women ages 55 through 86 who had mild cognitive impairment.
Stopping exercise for 10 days can decrease brain blood flow
Stopping exercise for 10 days can reduce brain blood flow by 20% to 30% in eight brain regions, including the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory and is one of the first brain regions to shrink in Alzheimer’s disease.
Plank Pass
Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten demonstrates how to use the medicine ball to add a little challenge to the plank position.
You should have some strength training under your belt before trying this workout. While you can modify the moves, it is still an advanced routine that combines both strength and power in many of the moves. This makes it a time-efficient workout, but also a more intense one. You may notice that your heart rate goes up more than during other strength workouts.
Strength to power
Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten explains the difference between strength and power, and how to work out each of these attributes in many of the same exercises.
The Basic Workout is good for everyone. If you're new to strength training—or haven't been exercising for a month or more—this dumbbell and bodyweight routine is a great starting point. But even if you lift weights regularly, this workout can help by targeting muscles in new ways.
Kettlebell
Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten shows the proper form for using the kettle bell to maximize the health benefits and minimize injuries.
Kettlebells supply resistance when you are strength training, which builds muscles. This not only makes you stronger, but also increases your muscles' endurance and strengthens your bones as well.
Ask the doctor: Are activity trackers worthwhile for weight loss?
If wearing an activity tracker results in more daily exercise but not a significant weight loss, it still provides health benefits.
Stretching: The new mobility protection
A regular stretching program will help you stay active and independent.
 Image: MonkeyBusinessImages/Thinkstock
A loss of flexibility may not seem like a big deal as we age. After all, it's no longer necessary to do the kinds of athletic moves we did when we were younger. But flexibility is the secret sauce that enables us to move safely and easily, and the way to stay limber is to stretch. "People don't always realize how important stretching is to avoiding injury and disability," says Elissa Huber-Anderson, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Losing flexibility
Stretching benefits
When you stretch a muscle, you extend the tissue to its full length. If you hold that tension long enough, the muscle will be longer once it relaxes again. "Stretching your muscle is similar to stretching an elastic band," says Huber-Anderson. "The elastic's resting length becomes longer."
The more often you stretch your muscles, the longer and more flexible they'll become. As a result, you'll
increase your range of motion
reduce your risk for muscle and joint injury
reduce joint and back pain
improve your balance, thus reducing your risk of falling
improve your posture.
Regaining flexibility
Types of stretches
It's crucial to warm up the muscles before you stretch them. That means getting blood and oxygen to the tissue to make it more pliable and amenable to change. If you don't warm up, a stretch can damage the muscle fibers.
One way to warm up is dynamic stretching. "This is when you move a joint through its available range of motion repeatedly, without holding a position," says Huber-Anderson. Types of dynamic stretching include rolling your shoulders, lifting your knees, and sweeping your arms out to the sides and up to the ceiling repeatedly. Huber-Anderson recommends two to five minutes of dynamic stretching.
Then you'll be ready for the types of stretches that will help you regain flexibility, known as static stretching. These stretches are held for 10 to 30 seconds. Don't bounce—that can cause injury.
Note: An aerobic or weight-training workout can also prepare the muscles for static stretching. However, static stretching should not be performed before a workout, when the muscles aren't ready.
5 tips to get you started1. Get your doctor's okay before starting a stretching regimen. 2. Do two to five minutes of dynamic stretches before beginning a program of static stretches. 3. Try some of the stretches we've selected for you on page 5. 4. Stop stretching if you feel pain, beyond a mild burning sensation in the muscle. 5. Stick with the program. It won't magically restore flexibility overnight. In time, and with regular stretching, you'll feel the results of a successful regimen. |
1. Seated shoulder stretch
2. Seated rotation
Primarily stretches the back
Repeat 2–4 times
Hold: 10–30 seconds
Starting position: Sit up straight on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and your arms at your sides.
Movement: Slowly rotate your head and torso to the right side, placing your left hand on the outside of your right knee and your right hand next to your right hip. Hold. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat to the opposite side. This is one rep.
Tips and techniques:
Stretch to the point of mild tension, not pain.
As you rotate, keep your hips squared and facing forward.
Breathe comfortably.
3. Standing hamstring stretch
4. Floor hip flexor stretch
Primarily stretches the front of the hip
Repeat: 2–4 times
Hold: 10–30 seconds
Starting position: Lie on your back with your legs extended on the floor.
Movement: Relax your shoulders against the floor. Bend your right knee. Rest your hands on the back of your thigh and pull your knee toward your chest. Flex your left foot and press the thigh and calf of that leg down toward the floor as you do so. Feel the stretch in the front of your left hip and top of your thigh. Hold. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. This is one rep.
Tips and techniques:
Stretch to the point of mild tension, not pain.
When holding the stretch, remain as still as possible, without bouncing.
5. Double-knee torso rotation
6. Downward dog
Stretches the entire body
Repeat: 2–4 times
Hold: 10–30 seconds
Starting position: Position yourself on all fours, hands shoulder-width apart, legs hip-width apart, and fingers extended.
Movement: Exhale as you lift your knees off the floor, straightening your legs without locking the knees until you are in an upside-down V. While maintaining a neutral neck and spine, align your ears with your biceps. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed between your hands and feet. Press your heels down toward the floor while keeping your shoulders down and rolled back. Hold. Return to the starting position.
Tips and techniques:
Soften your elbows and keep your shoulders down and rolled back as you lengthen your spine. Brace your abdominal muscles.
If necessary, bend your knees slightly and let your heels come up off the floor.
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It's never too late to start exercising!
The older people get in the United States, the less active they are. But it’s never too late to become physically active, and evidence shows that changing from being inactive to active benefits health.
To keep your heart working well, stay active as you age
As people grow older, their hearts tend to become thicker and stiffer and not pump as effectively. But those who stay physically active as they move from middle age into their 70s may be less likely to develop age-related declines in heart function.
Recent Blog Articles
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How health care leaders can prioritize health equity for the LGBTQIA2+ community
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One surprising effect of wildfires: itchy, irritated skin
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Orienteering: Great exercise and better thinking skills?
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Health care should improve your health, right?
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Ultra-processed foods? Just say no
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Power your paddle sports with three great exercises
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What is cognitive behavioral therapy?
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